Holder for tools



Oct. 31, 1950 D. s. DUNN HOLDER FOR TOOLS Filed 001;. 27, 1947 Jim. 9. 120. 6. 2505 J Patented Oct. 31, 1950 OFFICE I HOLDER FOR TOOLS Digby Spencer Dunn, Mildura, Victoria, Australia Application October 27, 1947, Serial No. 782,272. 7 In Australia October 31, 1946 v 3 Claims.

This invention relates to an improved rack or holder for supporting toolsv or other articles, and is particularly intended for use in garages, engineering workshops and the like although it is also suitable for other uses.

One object of the invention is to provide a tool rack or holder of this kind having specially designed. supporting clips which will effectively grip and support a wide variety of tools of different shapes and sizes.

Another object is to provide a tool supporting rack or holder which can be readily made or cut into specified lengths as desired to. suit the location or the purpose for which it is to be used and in which the tool supporting clips can also be readily adjusted to any desired or convenient position prior to the erection of the rack or holder.

According to the invention, the improved rack or holder comprises a base bar and a plurality of spring wire clips fitted on'said base bar in such manner as to be slidably movable along the bar for spacing before the rack or holder is attached to a wall or other surface but adapted to be clamped between the rear surface of the base bar and the wall when the rack or holder is secured in position. I v

The spring wire clips have downwardly bent portions which pass across the rear surface of the base bar and an upwardly looped portion which embraces the front surface of the bar. Each clip ,3

also has two forwardly extending arms which form the tool supporting portion, said arms first converging to meet, then diverging and converging again coming close together so that they form a holder portion, and finally diverging to form an open mouth.

The invention is more fully described aided by reference to the accompanying drawings where- Fig. 1 is a perspective view of one of the tool supporting clips.

Fig. 2 is a plan view showing the base bar.

Fig. 3 is an'end view of Fig. 2. t

Fig. 4 is a perspective view showing one of the tool supporting clips fitted on the base bar.

Fig. 5 is a similar view to Fig. 4, but showing a plurality of clips fitted on the base bar.

Figs. 6, 7, 8 and 9 are plan views showing in dotted lines how different tools can be supported in the clip. I

As is shown in these views, the improved holder comprises a base bar I and any desired number of clips 2.

The clips are preferably each made from a the clip fitted on single length of spring wire bent to the shape shown in Fig. 1. Each clip has two forwardlyextending arms 3 which form the tool supporting portion of the clip and a central bent part 4 which serves to attach the clip to the :base bar L,

The central part 4 has two downwardly bent portions 5 which pass across the rear surface of the base bar I and an upwardly looped portion 6 which embraces the front surface of the base bar. The portions 5 and 6 between them form a socket or holder by means of which the clips 2 can be slidably fitted onto the base bar from its end and supported in position thereon. Said portions 5 and 6 also, by reason of the springiness of the wire, have a frictional grip on the base bar to retain the clips in the positions to which they are adjusted.

The arms 3 of the clips are fashioned as shown in Figs. 1, 2 and 3. Commencing from the base bar I, the arms first converge at I so that they meet or substantially meet at the point 8. They then diverge at 9 and converge again at 10 coming close together at the point ll so that they form a holder portion l2. Finally thearms diverge at l3 to form an open mouth I4.

In addition to the above shaping, the arms 3 are bent downwardly as at l5 to a point I6, see

Fig. 3, and then upwardly as at I! to provide a substantially hook-shaped form in end elevation. The special formation of the clipas described .enablesla wide variety of tools or articles of dif orarticles can also be gripped in .the holder. por-;

tion I2 as shown by th dotted lines 26 Fig.9 or can be gripped between the points I l as shown by thedottedlines-Zl in 7. Thin tools or articlessuch as rules, squares and the like can be gripped between the inner points 8, see the dotted lines 22 in Fig. 8. Other articles can also be supported by hooking them onto one or both of the arms 3, the hook-shaped formation of said arms as above described serving to hold them in position.

In practice, it is'found that tools of practically all shapes and sizes within reason can be supported in one way or another on the clips as above described and this versatility of the clip to a great extent gives the rack or holder its high utility.

3 Moreover, it is found that the clips will effectively hold the tools even when subjected to considerable vibration, as for instance, in engineering workshops or aboard ships.

The rack or holder is secured to the wall or other surface by any approved means such as, for instance, screws passed through suitably spaced holes 23 in the base bar 1. Before the holder is attached to the wall, the clips 2 can be spaced along the base bar I as desired by slidably moving them endwise and, when the holder is attached to the wall, said clips are secured against movement by the clamping of the portions 5 between the rear surface of the base bar and the wall.

The rack or holder may be of any desired length to suit the location or the purpose for which it is to be used and, if supplied in long lengths, can be readily cut to the length desired according to the number of clips to be used.

The improved rack or holder as described can be manufactured at low cost and will be found very efiective in use and can be readily erected without special skill.

What I claim is:

1 A spring clip tool holder comprising a single piece of wire formed with a central horizontal straight portion terminating at both ends in downwardly and inwardly turned loops which extend into spaced straight upright portions that cross behind said horizontal portion and are then bent forwardly above said horizontal portion into substantially horizontal tool holding arms to provide a clip for slidable but rigid attachment to a horizontal base bar with said horizontal portion in front of the bar, and said upright portions behind the bar, said loops spanning the bottom, of the bar and said arm forming bends overlying the bar, said arms including straight portions extending from said bends in angular relationship toward each other and overlying said horizontal portion and cooperating therewith to define a triangular clamp for holding small tools, said arm straight portions extending into engagement intermediate their outer ends and then bent into diverging portions to define jaws for gripping thin tools between the engaging bends.

2. A spring clip tool holder comprising a single piece of wire formed, with a central horizontal straight portion terminating at both ends in downwardly and inwardly turned loops which extend into spaced straight upright portions that cross behind said horizontal portion into substantially horizontal tool holding arms to provide a clip for slidable but rigid attachment to a horizontal base bar with said horizontal portion in, front of the bar, and said upright portions behind the bar, said loops spanning the bottom of the bar and said arm forming bends overlying the bar, saidarms including straight portions extending from said bends in angular relationship toward each other and overlying said horizontal portion and cooperating therewith to define a triangular clamp for holding small tools, said lid arm straight portions extending into engagement adjacent their inner ends and then bent into diverging portions to define jaws for gripping thin tools between the engaging bends, said diverging portions being at substantially right angles and terminating in substantially right angular bends into converging portions to define substantially square jaws for gripping larger tools, said converging portions extending to outward bends that ar slightly spaced and terminate in diverging tips to facilitate insertion of a tool into said square jaws.

3. A spring clip tool holder comprising a single piece of wire formed with a central horizontal straight portion terminating at both ends in downwardly and inwardly turned loops which extend into spaced straight upright portions that cross behind said horizontal portion and are then bent forwardl above said horizontal portion into substantially horizontal tool holding arms to provide a clip for slidable but rigid attachment to a horizontal base bar with said horizontal portion in front of the bar, and said upright portions behind the bar, said loops spanning the bottom of the bar and said arm forming bends overlying the bar, said arms including straight portions extending from said bends in angular relationship toward each other and overlying said horizontal portion and cooperating therewith to define a triangular clamp for holding small tools, said arm straight portions extending into engagement intermediate their outer ends and then bent into diverging portions to define jaws for gripping thin tools between the engaging bends, said diverging portions being at substantially right angles and terminating in substantially right angular bends into converging portions to define substantially square jaws for gripping larger tools, said converging portions extending to outward bends that are slightly spaced and terminate in diverging tips to facilitate insertion of a tool into said square jaws, said arms being fiat V-shaped in profile and bent downwardly from the supporting bends at said upright portions to said right angle bends and then being bent upwardly through said tips.

DIGBY SPENCER DUNN.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 363,511 Dodge May 24, 1887 820,177 Bryan et al May 8, 1906 1,120,182 Drewelow Dec. 8, 1914 1,125,931 Arnest Jan. 26, 1915 1,286,014 Jetmund Nov. 26, 1918 1,403,815 Ohaver Jan. 17, 1922 1,663,176 Reyher Mar. 20, 1928 1,703,008 Justice Feb. 19, 1929 1,892,500 Bleckley Dec. 27, 1932 

